It was a fantastic season for Stefanie Scherer in the IBU Cup. If the SC Wall athlete missed the first two IBU Cup races of the season in Sjusjoen (Norway) and Ridnaun (Italy), she really got going. Now she can run in the World Cup.
Now the season in the second division of biathlon is over and Scherer is fourth in the IBU Cup overall ranking. The strong performance of the Wallerin did not go unnoticed even by the DSV World Cup coaches. Scherer has already been nominated for the upcoming World Cup in Kontiolahti, Finland.
"Overall, it was an outstanding IBU Cup season that I never thought of," enthuses Scherer after the races in Minsk-Raubichi (Belarus). Because in the last three competitions, the 23-year-old once again showed that she is rightly so high up. With second place in the first sprint, fifth place in the second sprint and a victory in the mass start, the Waller made up ground again in the overall standings, overtook Vanessa Voigt (WSV Steinbach) and is thus the best German in the IBU Cup.
"The organizers really gave everything that the races could be carried out and were also fair enough," says Scherer about the difficult snow conditions in Belarus. "Actually, the first sprint was already the highlight." With zero mistakes and a good performance on the track, she only had to give in to Swede Elisabeth Hoegberg, who landed just under half a minute ahead of Scherer.
The second sprint day was much tighter when the SC Wall biathlete was only eight seconds behind the leader, but only finished fifth. "The good runners all shot zero, and then I had to line up in the back," says Scherer, who was nevertheless happy about her own ten goals.
The absolute highlight was the season finale, because Scherer won the mass start 60 race, in which shooting was carried out in several waves. "I still don't know what to say," enthuses the 23-year-old. "I haven't really had time to look forward to the other results of the past two weeks."
Because a week earlier, Scherer won the silver medal in the single mixed relay at the European Championship. And even in the mass start, the Waller remained completely error-free and went to the final round with a lead of over 30 seconds. "It's the best feeling ever when you go to the final round and know that nothing can really happen anymore."
The success in the mass start was not yet digested, and then came the happy news for Scherer: "After the men's race, the coaches told me." After all, the first nomination for the World Cup in their careers. The best IBU Cup athletes are actually qualified for the last World Cup of the season, which takes place a week later in Oslo (Norway) - but those responsible at the German Ski Association have already decided to nominate the 23-year-old.